GTO: New Year Special! Winter Break with A Hot-Blooded Class (2013)

When I stumbled upon the New Year Special of GTO, I didn't really know what to expect because the first special was good, but not as appealing as the show. However, when I watched the new special, I was brought back to what made GTO 2012 so good for me, the mix of funny with the serious (which I felt was less evident in the last special).

One of the reasons I enjoyed the new special was for its good storyline. Being able to utilize Saejima and Ryuji in a greater role was always a hope for the series as a whole, so bringing those two in more made me appreciate the story more. Also, the story didn't fail in bringing in some rather serious issues but in a relatable way.

Of course, the cast was good as always, but I think that with the more consistent story, Onizuka and co. acted a bit better, and we finally get to see Yamamoto Yusuke and Shirota Yu used to further the plot rather than as caricatures (even if Saejima is a natural caricature).

One thing I enjoyed most about the special was its bawdier moments, which were often brought on more by misunderstandings than anything else. These parts were funny (especially the moments between Kanzaki and Fuyutsuki).

Overall, I enjoyed the New Year's special and cannot wait for the graduation special this spring. I'm certainly going to rewatch this later.

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